The BYD Seal 5 DM-i has only been around in the Philippine market for about three months, but in its home market of China, the cost-friendly plug-in hybrid sedan will already be receiving a major facelift.
As reported by CarNewsChina.com, the 2026 Seal 5 DM-i will be capable of a maximum range of 2,000km. That’s a considerable boost over the 1,240km driving range that the Premium variant of the current Seal 5 DM-i has been proven to do.
Interestingly, the 2026 Seal 5 DM-i can manage a longer driving distance while packing smaller batteries than in the pre-facelift model. What looks to be the updated Dynamic variant now comes with a smaller 7.7kWh battery, as opposed to the 8.3kWh unit that sits in the current Seal 5. The new Premium variant houses a 15.9kWh battery, a noticeable decrease from the present 18.3kWh battery.
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These are then both paired to the same 1.5-liter engine in the previous model. Somehow, the combination of smaller batteries and the same engine has actually created more horsepower and torque on the new Seal 5—and more driving range. We’re eager to see what new technology BYD has developed to enable this performance improvements.
On the outside, the fascia has been altered to look more akin to the Seal Advanced and the Seal Performance, mimicking its headlight and hood design. Out back, the taillights have been widened on the outer edges and slimmed down in the middle for a sportier design and feel.
Inside, the cabin ditches the racing motif for a more comfortable and premium design language. The seats have their own adjustable headrests with more supportive padding in the backrest. A large screen still dominates the interior, but instead of a knob, there’s a more conventional gearshift just below it.
It doesn’t look like we’ll be getting this new Seal 5 anytime soon as the current model was released locally just a few months ago. However, with the recent introduction of the BYD Seal Advanced, this new Seal 5 DM-i could be situated as a more luxurious or premium model.
Given how aggressively BYD Cars and local distributor ACMobility have been expanding in the Philippines, the duo might just bring the whole lot to the Philippine market and let the consumers decide for themselves.
